| President of the Confederate States |
|
|---|---|
|
|
|
Only officeholder |
|
| Style | His Excellency |
| Type | |
| Residence |
|
| Seat |
|
| Appointer | |
| Term length |
|
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of the Confederate States |
| Formation |
|
| First holder | Jefferson Davis |
| Final holder | Jefferson Davis |
| Abolished | May 5, 1865 |
| Deputy | Vice president |
| Salary | CS$25,000 per year |
The president of the Confederate States was the head of state and head of government of the Confederate States. The president was the chief executive of the federal government and was the commander-in-chief of the Confederate Army and the Confederate Navy.[1]
Article II of the Constitution of the Confederate States vested executive power of the Confederacy in the president. The power included execution of law, along with responsibility for appointing executive, diplomatic, regulatory and judicial officers, and concluding treaties with foreign powers with the advice and consent of the senate. He was further empowered to grant reprieves and pardons, and convene and adjourn either or both houses of Congress under extraordinary circumstances.[1]
The president was indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a six-year term, and was one of only two nationally elected Confederate officers, the other being the vice president. On February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis became president of the provisional government, as well as the only person to assume the position. On February 22, 1862, he became president of the permanent government and served in that capacity until the Confederacy’s military collapse. The Confederate States cabinet declared the Confederacy dissolved May 5, 1865, after which Davis stopped attempting to exercise his office’s powers and duties. May 5 is therefore generally considered to be the day the Confederate States of America (and its presidency) were formally abolished. Davis himself was captured by elements of the United States Cavalry five days later.[2]
Powers and duties[edit]
The constitutional powers of the president of the Confederate States were similar to those of the president of the United States. The permanent Confederate States Constitution made him commander-in-chief of the Army, Navy and militia of the confederated states when called into service of the Confederate States. He was also empowered to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the Confederate States. He was authorized to make treaties; to nominate and appoint diplomatic representatives, judges, and other officers of the Confederate States (including the heads of the executive departments) by and with the consent of the Confederate States Senate; and to remove such representatives and officers. During a Senate recess, he could fill vacancies but not reappoint persons previously rejected by the Senate. He was to supply Congress with information, recommend legislation, receive ambassadors and other public ministers, see that federal laws were faithfully executed, and commission all officers of the military and naval forces of the Confederate States.[2]
Election and oath[edit]
Confederate election ballot, Virginia, November 6, 1861
On February 9, 1861, the provisional congress at Montgomery unanimously elected Jefferson Davis president and Alexander H. Stephens vice president. Stephens, who was a delegate to Congress from Georgia, was inaugurated on February 11. Davis was inaugurated on February 18 upon his arrival from Mississippi, where he had gone upon his resignation from the U.S. Senate. Confederate presidents were to be limited to a single term. Davis and Stephens were elected on Wednesday November 6, 1861 for six-years terms, as provided by the permanent constitution. The Capital had been moved in June 1861 to Richmond and the inauguration took place at the statue of Washington on Capitol Square on February 22, 1862.[2]
Before Davis entered on the execution of his office as President of the Confederate States, he was constitutionally required to take the following oath or affirmation:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the Confederate States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution thereof.[1]
Compensation[edit]
In 1861, the president of the Confederate States earned a CS$25,000 annual salary, along with an expense account, and a nontaxable travel account.[3] The President’s Office was located on the second floor of the Custom House on Main Street, a structure which also housed the Cabinet Room and the State and Treasury Departments. The City of Richmond purchased the White House of the Confederacy (Brockenbrough House) for presentation to the Confederate government for use as an executive mansion. Davis declined to accept the gift, but the mansion was leased for his use. Referred to as the “White House of the Confederacy” or the “Grey House,” the mansion was used by President Davis until Richmond fell to the Union Army in early April 1865. The residence later became a repository for documents, relics, and pictures, and in 1896 it was redesignated the Confederate Museum.[2]
List of presidents[edit]
| Presidency | President | Party | Election | Vice President | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 18, 1861 [n 1] – May 5, 1865 [n 2] |
|
Jefferson Davis | Unaffiliated [n 3] |
Elected by the Provisional Confederate Congress |
Alexander Stephens | |
| 1861 | |||||||
Notes[edit]
- ^ Jefferson Davis initially took an oath of office as President of the Confederate States of America on February 18, 1861, in Montgomery, Alabama, under conditions set forth in the Constitution of the Provisional Government. After being elected to the presidency, he took another oath of office (this time for a six-year term) on February 22, 1862, in Richmond, Virginia, as prescribed in the “permanent” Constitution of the Confederate States.
- ^ The end of Jefferson Davis’ presidency (as well as the abolition of the office) is generally reckoned to be the date Davis and his Cabinet declared the Confederacy dissolved, which was May 5, 1865. Although Davis was not apprehended by the Union Army until May 10, he stopped attempting to exercise the powers and duties of his office after May 5.
- ^ Political parties were never organized at the federal level in the Confederacy, although over time members of the Confederate States Congress increasingly came to be identified as either “pro-Administration” or “anti-Administration.” Prior to Mississippi’s secession from the United States, Jefferson Davis had been a member of the Democratic Party.
Fictional presidents of the Confederate States of America[edit]
See also[edit]
- Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Museum
- Vice President of the Confederate States of America
- Congress of the Confederate States
- Postage stamps and postal history of the Confederate States
- Treatment of slaves in the United States
References[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- Henry, Robert Selph (1931). “Chapter VII: Government, Provisional and “Permanent”“. The Story of the Confederacy (1st ed.). Garden City, New York: Garden City Publishing Company. pp. 88–99. OCLC 1300151 – via The Bobbs-Merrill Co.
- McPherson, James M. (2014). Embattled Rebel: Jefferson Davis as Commander in Chief. New York: The Penguin Press. ISBN 978-1-59420-497-5. OCLC 870248703.
External links[edit]
FAQs
How many presidents of the Confederate states were there?
one president
Who were the 2 presidents during the Civil War?
Who was president during the Civil War? If you were from a Northern state, you answered Abraham Lincoln. If you were from a Southern state, you may have answered Jefferson Davis. On November 6, 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected president, not of the United States of America but of the Confederate States of America.
Which president started the Civil War?
Abraham Lincoln became the United States’ 16th President in 1861, issuing the Emancipation Proclamation that declared forever free those slaves within the Confederacy in 1863.
What did the Confederates stand for?
It is also called the Southern Confederacy and refers to 11 states that renounced their existing agreement with others of the United States in 1860?1861 and attempted to establish a new nation in which the authority of the central government would be strictly limited and the institution of slavery would be protected.
Who was the only president that never got married?
James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States (1857-1861), served immediately prior to the American Civil War. He remains the only President to be elected from Pennsylvania and to remain a lifelong bachelor.
Who ended slavery?
On February 1, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln approved the Joint Resolution of Congress submitting the proposed amendment to the state legislatures. The necessary number of states (three-fourths) ratified it by December 6, 1865.
What year did slavery end?
Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, the 13th amendment abolished slavery in the United States and provides that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or …
Who was the first left-handed President?
James A. Garfield President from March 4, 1881 ? September 19, 1881, was ambidextrous; he was the only known left-handed President prior to the 20th century.
Which president had two wives?
Presidents John Tyler and Woodrow Wilson had two official first ladies; both remarried during their presidential tenures.
Who was the only President never elected by the voting public?
Ford was the only person to serve as president without being elected to either the presidency or the vice presidency. His presidency ended following his defeat in the 1976 presidential election by Democrat Jimmy Carter.
Who was the last President to have facial hair?
Since 1913 all presidents have been clean-shaven except for Harry Truman for a brief period of time in 1948.
Is Queen Elizabeth II left or right-handed?
His left-handedness shone through when he played tennis and held the racket in his left hand. His wife, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was also left-handed. The Queen Mother didn’t pass her left-handedness on to her daughter Queen Elizabeth II.
President of the Confederate States of America – Wikipedia
President of the Confederate States of America President of theConfederate StatesSeal of the Confederate StatesOnly officeholderJefferson DavisFebruary 18, 1861 – May 5, 1865 Provisional: February 18, 1861 – February 22, 1862StyleHis ExcellencyTypeHead of stateHead of governmentResidenceExecutive Mansion,Montgomery, Alabama(1861)Executive Mansion,Richmond, Virginia(1861–1865)SeatAlabama State Capitol,Montgomery, Alabama(1861)President’s Office,Custom House,Richmond, Virginia(1861–1865)Sutherlin House,Danville, Virginia(1865)AppointerCongress(provisional)Electoral College(permanent)Term lengthOne year(provisional)Six years(permanent)Constituting instrumentConstitution of the Confederate StatesFormationFebruary 18, 1861(provisional)February 22, 1862(permanent)First holderJefferson DavisFinal holderJefferson DavisAbolishedMay 5, 1865DeputyVice presidentSalaryCS$25,000 per year The president of the Confederate States was the head of state and head of government of the Confederate States. The president was the chief executive of the federal government and was the commander-in-chief of the Confederate Army and the Confederate Navy.[1] Article II of the Constitution of the Confederate States vested executive power of the Confederacy in the president. The power included execution of law, along with responsibility for appointing executive, diplomatic, regulatory and judicial officers, and concluding treaties with foreign powers with the advice and consent of the senate. He was further empowered to grant reprieves and pardons, and convene and adjourn either or both houses of Congress under extraordinary circumstances.[1] The president was indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a six-year term, and was one of only two nationally elected Confederate officers, the other being the vice president. On February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis became president of the provisional government, as well as the only person to assume the position. On February 22, 1862, he became president of the permanent government and served in that capacity until the Confederacy’s military collapse. The Confederate States cabinet declared the Confederacy dissolved May 5, 1865, after which Davis stopped attempting to exercise his office’s powers and duties. May 5 is therefore generally considered to be the day the Confederate States of America (and its presidency) were formally abolished. Davis himself was captured by elements of the United States Cavalry five days later.[2] Powers and duties[edit] The constitutional powers of the president of the Confederate States were similar to those of the president of the United States. The permanent Confederate States Constitution made him commander-in-chief of the Army, Navy and militia of the confederated states when called into service of the Confederate States. He was also empowered to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the Confederate States. He was authorized to make treaties; to nominate and appoint diplomatic representatives, judges, and other officers of the Confederate States (including the heads of the executive departments) by and with the consent of the Confederate States Senate; and to remove such representatives and officers. During a Senate recess, he could fill vacancies but not reappoint persons previously rejected by the Senate. He was to supply Congress with information, recommend legislation, receive ambassadors and other public ministers, see that federal laws were faithfully executed, and commission all officers of the military and naval forces of the Confederate States.[2] Election and oath[edit] Confederate election ballot, Virginia, November 6, 1861 On February 9, 1861, the provisional congress at Montgomery unanimously elected Jefferson Davis president and Alexander H. Stephens vice president. Stephens, who was a delegate to Congress from Georgia, was inaugurated on February 11. Davis was inaugurated on February 18 upon his arrival from Mississippi, where he had gone upon his resignation…
Jefferson Davis – Wikipedia
Jefferson Davis Jefferson DavisPhotograph by Mathew Brady, c. 1861President of the Confederate StatesIn officeFebruary 22, 1862 – May 5, 1865Provisional: February 18, 1861 – February 22, 1862Vice PresidentAlexander H. StephensPreceded byOffice establishedSucceeded byOffice abolishedUnited States Senatorfrom MississippiIn officeMarch 4, 1857 – January 21, 1861Preceded byStephen AdamsSucceeded byAdelbert Ames (1870)In officeAugust 10, 1847 – September 23, 1851Preceded byJesse SpeightSucceeded byJohn J. McRae23rd United States Secretary of WarIn officeMarch 7, 1853 – March 4, 1857PresidentFranklin PiercePreceded byCharles ConradSucceeded byJohn B. FloydMember of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom Mississippi’s at-large districtIn officeDecember 8, 1845 – October 28, 1846 Seat DPreceded byTilghman TuckerSucceeded byHenry T. EllettPersonal detailsBornJefferson Finis DavisJune 3, 1808Fairview, Kentucky, U.S.DiedDecember 6, 1889 (aged 81)New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.Resting placeHollywood Cemetery,Richmond, Virginia, U.S.Political partyDemocraticOther politicalaffiliationsSouthern RightsSpouse(s)Sarah Knox Taylor (m. 1835; died 1835)Varina Howell (m. 1845)Children6, including VarinaEducationUnited States Military Academy (BS)SignatureWebsitePresidential LibraryMilitary serviceAllegianceUnited StatesBranch/serviceUnited States ArmyUnited States VolunteersYears of service1825–18351846–1847RankFirst lieutenantColonelUnit1st U.S. DragoonsCommands1st Mississippi RiflesBattles/wars American Indian Wars Black Hawk War Mexican-American War Battle of Monterrey Battle of Buena Vista (WIA) Jefferson Finis Davis[a] (June 3, 1808 – December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. As a member of the Democratic Party, he represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives before the American Civil War. He previously served as the United States Secretary of War from 1853 to 1857 under President Franklin Pierce. Davis was born in Fairview, Kentucky, to a moderately prosperous farmer, the youngest of ten children. He grew up in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, and also lived in Louisiana. His eldest brother Joseph Emory Davis secured the younger Davis’s appointment to the United States Military Academy. After graduating, Jefferson Davis served six years as a lieutenant in the United States Army. He fought in the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), as the colonel of a volunteer regiment. Before the American Civil War, he operated a large cotton plantation in Mississippi, which his brother Joseph gave him, and owned as many as 113 slaves.[1] Although Davis argued against secession in 1858,[2] he believed states had an unquestionable right to leave the Union. Davis married Sarah Knox Taylor, daughter of general and future President Zachary Taylor, in 1835, when he was 27 years old. They were both stricken with malaria soon thereafter, and Sarah died after three months of marriage. Davis recovered slowly and suffered from recurring bouts of the disease throughout his life.[3] At the age of 36, Davis married again, to 18-year-old Varina Howell, a native of Natchez, Mississippi, who had been educated in Philadelphia and had some family ties in the North. They had six children. Only two survived him, and only one married and had children. Many historians attribute some of the Confederacy’s weaknesses to Davis’s poor leadership.[4] His preoccupation with detail, reluctance to delegate responsibility, lack of popular appeal, feuds with powerful state governors and generals, favoritism toward old friends, inability to get along with people who disagreed with him, neglect of civil matters in favor of military ones, and resistance to public opinion all worked against him.[5][6] Historians agree he was a much less effective war leader than his Union counterpart, President Abraham Lincoln. After Davis was captured in 1865, he was accused of treason and imprisoned at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. He was never tried and was released after two years. While not disgraced, Davis had been displaced in ex-Confederate affection after the war by his leading general, Robert E. Lee. Davis wrote a memoir entitled The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, which he completed in 1881. By the late 1880s, he began to encourage reconciliation, telling Southerners to be loyal to the Union. Ex-Confederates came to appreciate his role in the war, seeing him as a Southern patriot. He became a hero of the Lost Cause of the Confederacy in the post-Reconstruction South.[7] Early life Birth and family background Jefferson Finis Davis was born at the family homestead in Fairview, Kentucky, on…
Jefferson Davis Elected President of the Confederate States of …
Jefferson Davis Elected President of the Confederate States of America Civil War (1860-1865) Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America Jefferson Davis Elected President of the Confederate States of America November 6, 1861 Who was president during the Civil War? If you were from a Northern state, you answered Abraham Lincoln. If you were from a Southern state, you may have answered Jefferson Davis.On November 6, 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected president, not of the United States of America but of the Confederate States of America. He ran unopposed and was elected to serve for a six-year term. Davis had already been serving as the temporary president for almost a year.How do you think President Lincoln, who had earlier been elected president of the United States, reacted to the Southern election? page 1 of 2 Library Of Congress | Legal Notices | Privacy | Site Map | Contact Us
Jefferson Davis | Biography, Quotes, Civil War, Death, & Facts
Jefferson Davis | Biography, Quotes, Civil War, Death, & Facts Entertainment & Pop Culture Geography & Travel Health & Medicine Lifestyles & Social Issues Literature Philosophy & Religion Politics, Law & Government Science Sports & Recreation Technology Visual Arts World History On This Day in History Quizzes Podcasts Dictionary Biographies Summaries Top Questions Week In Review Infographics Demystified Lists #WTFact Companions Image Galleries Spotlight The Forum One Good Fact Entertainment & Pop Culture Geography & Travel Health & Medicine Lifestyles & Social Issues Literature Philosophy & Religion Politics, Law & Government Science Sports & Recreation Technology Visual Arts World History Britannica ClassicsCheck out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives. Demystified VideosIn Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions. #WTFact VideosIn #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find. This Time in HistoryIn these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history. Britannica ExplainsIn these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions. Buying GuideExpert buying advice. From tech to household and wellness products. Student PortalBritannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more. COVID-19 PortalWhile this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today. 100 WomenBritannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians. Britannica BeyondWe’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning. Go ahead. Ask. We won’t mind. Saving EarthBritannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century. Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! SpaceNext50Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!
Confederate States of America | History, President, Map, Facts …
Confederate States of America | History, President, Map, Facts, & Flag Entertainment & Pop Culture Geography & Travel Health & Medicine Lifestyles & Social Issues Literature Philosophy & Religion Politics, Law & Government Science Sports & Recreation Technology Visual Arts World History On This Day in History Quizzes Podcasts Dictionary Biographies Summaries Top Questions Week In Review Infographics Demystified Lists #WTFact Companions Image Galleries Spotlight The Forum One Good Fact Entertainment & Pop Culture Geography & Travel Health & Medicine Lifestyles & Social Issues Literature Philosophy & Religion Politics, Law & Government Science Sports & Recreation Technology Visual Arts World History Britannica ClassicsCheck out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives. Demystified VideosIn Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions. #WTFact VideosIn #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find. This Time in HistoryIn these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history. Britannica ExplainsIn these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions. Buying GuideExpert buying advice. From tech to household and wellness products. Student PortalBritannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more. COVID-19 PortalWhile this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today. 100 WomenBritannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians. Britannica BeyondWe’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning. Go ahead. Ask. We won’t mind. Saving EarthBritannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century. Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! SpaceNext50Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!
Jefferson Davis – Facts, Biography & Confederacy – HISTORY
Jefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis, the first and only president of the Confederate States of America, was a Southern planter, Democratic politician and hero of the Mexican War who had represented Mississippi in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and served as U.S. secretary of war (1853-57). He was chosen to serve as president of the Confederacy (CSA) in 1861 and he held the post until the Civil War ended in 1865. Early lifeBorn in Kentucky in 1808 and raised in Mississippi, Davis was the 10th and youngest child in his family. His parents gave him the middle name Finis, meaning “final” in Latin. Davis was greatly influenced by his oldest brother, Joseph, a wealthy lawyer and planter who served as a father figure, particularly after their father’s death in 1824. Davis left his studies at Transylvania University in Kentucky that year to enter the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where Joseph’s connection had secured him an appointment. Davis graduated four years later, finishing in the bottom third of his class; he was posted to an infantry regiment in Wisconsin. After serving only briefly in the Black Hawk War in 1832, he fell in love with Sarah Knox Taylor, the daughter of Colonel Zachary Taylor. The couple contracted malaria just months after their wedding in 1835, and Sarah died. Having resigned his army commission, Davis retreated to his cotton plantation, Brierfield, built on land provided by his brother Joseph at Davis Bend, Mississippi. Launch of Political Career and Mexican War ServiceAfter eight years immersed in plantation life, Davis emerged to begin a career in politics. A steadfast supporter of state’s rights and slavery, he served as a delegate to the Democratic state convention in 1840 and 1842 and ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature in 1843. In 1845, Davis married his second wife, Varina Howell, the young daughter of a prominent local family. The couple would have four sons and two daughters, though only their daughters lived until adulthood. That same year, Davis won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi. It was the only electoral success of his career; all of his later posts would be appointed. When the Mexican-American War broke out in 1846, Davis resigned his congressional seat to serve as colonel of the First Mississippi Rifle regiment. As part of a force commanded by his former father-in-law, Davis distinguished himself in battle at Monterrey and Buena Vista. General Taylor’s praise of his heroism earned Davis national acclaim, and in August 1847 the Mississippi governor chose him to fill a vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. Davis as Senator and Secretary of WarAs a senator, Davis fiercely defended the interests of the South in the growing sectional battle over slavery that would put the nation on the path to civil war. He led a generation of southern Democrats who joined the proslavery crusade launched by John C. Calhoun, and continued it after Calhoun’s death in 1850. A strong supporter of Manifest Destiny, Davis advocated for the extension of slavery into the new Western territories and the protection of slaveholders’ property rights. He opposed letting the Oregon territory bar slavery, and battled against the Compromise of 1850, especially the admission of California to the Union as a free state. Scroll to ContinueIn 1851, Davis resigned from the Senate to run unsuccessfully for governor of Mississippi. Two years later, President Franklin Pierce appointed Davis as secretary of war. During his tenure, Davis focused on increasing the army’s size and improving national defenses and weapons technology, as well as providing protection for settlers in the Western territories. From the U.S. Senate to…
Confederate States of America – HISTORY
Confederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a collection of 11 states that seceded from the United States in 1860 following the election of President Abraham Lincoln. Led by Jefferson Davis and existing from 1861 to 1865, the Confederacy struggled for legitimacy and was never recognized as a sovereign nation. After suffering a crushing defeat in the Civil War, the Confederate States of America ceased to exist.NORTH VERSUS SOUTH The southern and northern United States began to pull apart in the 19th century, culturally and economically, with slavery at the center of the rift. As early as 1850, South Carolina and Mississippi called for secession.By 1860, Southern politics was dominated by the idea of states’ rights in the context of slavery to support the South’s agricultural economy, and slave-heavy, cotton-producing agricultural states embraced secession as the solution.ABRAHAM LINCOLN The election of Abraham Lincoln was labeled an act of war by some Southern politicians, who predicted armies would come to seize slaves and force white women to marry black men. Secession meetings and assemblies started to appear across the South.As secession began to seem more likely, so did war. Altercations with Union troops at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, and Fort Pickens, Florida, escalated.Southern politicians began to procure weaponry, and some secessionists even proposed kidnapping Lincoln.SECESSION By February 1861, seven Southern states had seceded. On February 4 of that year, representatives from South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana met in Montgomery, Alabama, with representatives from Texas arriving later, to form the Confederate States of America.Former secretary of war, military man and then-Mississippi Senator Jefferson Davis was elected Confederate president. Ex-Georgia governor, congressman and former anti-secessionist Alexander H. Stephens became vice-president of the Confederate States of America.CONFEDERATE CONSTITUTION The Confederacy used the U.S. Constitution as a model for its own, with some wording differences and a few changes regarding the executive and judicial branches.The Confederate president would serve for six years with no reelection possibility, but was considered more powerful than his Union counterpart.While the Confederate Constitution upheld the institution of slavery, it prohibited the African slave trade.CONFEDERATE ENLISTMENT Davis predicted a long war and requested legislation allowing three-year enlistments. The military affairs office, however, anticipated a short conflict and granted the authority to call up troops for only one year of service.On March 9, 1861, Davis called up 7,700 volunteers from five states, joining volunteers in South Carolina. By mid-April, 62,000 troops were raised and stationed in former Union bases.CIVIL WAR BEGINS On April 12, 1861, following diplomatic bickering over Lincoln’s pledge to get supplies to Union troops at Fort Sumter, Confederate forces fired shots at the fort and Union troops surrendered, sparking the Civil War.In rapid succession, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas joined the Confederacy.In May, Davis made Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate capital. The city was soon filled with some 1,000 government members, 7,000 civil servants, and scores of rowdy Confederate soldiers itching for battle.The First Battle of Bull Run took place on July 16, 1861, and ended with a Confederate victory.CONFEDERATE ARIZONA The Arizona Territory voted to join the Confederacy in March 1861, but it wasn’t until 1862 that the territorial government got around to officially proclaiming it part of the Confederate States of America.Several battles took place within the territory, and in 1863, Confederate forces were vanquished from the Arizona Territory, which was claimed as Union and then split into two territories, the second being the New Mexico Territory.MARTIAL LAW AND MANDATORY SERVICE Most of the work of the Confederate government involved trying to wage the Civil War without the appropriate means, a domino effect that sometimes rendered it helpless.In February 1862, Davis was granted the authority…
President of the Confederate States – Harry Turtledove Wiki
President of the Confederate States The President of the Confederate States of America was the Head of State and Head of Government of the Confederate States. The only person to hold the office was Jefferson Davis. He was President from February 18, 1861, to May 5, 1865, and his Vice President was Alexander Stephens. Neither the office nor the country was recognized by any foreign government. At the end of the American Civil War, the office ceased to exist. Much of the President’s role was similar to that of the United States president, but with some differences. The CS President was only allowed to serve one six-year term without reelection and was given the power of line-item veto, being able to veto certain parts of bill while signing the rest into law. Confederate Whig Freedom The Guns of the South After General Robert E. Lee led the Confederate States to victory during the Second American Revolution, he became the popular choice to succeed Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederate States. № President Term Party Vice President 1 Jefferson Davis 1861-1868 None Alexander Stephens 2 Robert E. Lee 1868-end of novel Confederate Party Albert Gallatin Brown Southern Victory The President was the executive officer in the Confederate States. From 1861 to 1939, the President was elected every six years and sworn in March 4 of the following year. Originally, the Confederate Constitution limited presidents to one term in office. Burton Mitchel served for almost two full terms because he succeeded Wade Hampton V after Hampton’s assassination, and then ran for election in his own right. During Jake Featherston’s term in office, a constitutional amendment passed allowing a president to serve more than one term, and Featherston was easily reelected. There was never another presidential election after 1939. Upon the Confederacy’s defeat at the end of the Second Great War in 1944, and the death of Featherston, Don Partridge became president long enough to officially surrender the country. Once this act was completed, the office of President of the Confederate States ceased to exist. № President Term Party Vice President 1 Jefferson Davis 1861-1868 Whig Alexander Stephens 2-3 All Unknown 1868-1880 Whig 4 James Longstreet 1880-1886 Whig Lucius Q.C. Lamar 5-8 All Unknown 1886-1910 Whig 9 Woodrow Wilson 1910-1916 Whig Gabriel Semmes 10 Gabriel Semmes 1916-1922 Whig Unknown 11 Wade Hampton V March-June, 1922 Whig Burton Mitchel(Ascended to presidency) 12 Burton Mitchel June, 1922-March, 1934 Whig Vacancy1922-1928 Unknown1928-1934 13 Jake Featherston March, 1934-July, 1944 Freedom Willy KnightMarch, 1934-December, 1938 VacancyDecember, 1938-March, 1940 Don PartridgeMarch, 1940-July, 1944(Ascended to presidency) 14 Don Partridge July 7-14, 1944 Freedom Vacancy One Confederate President was named Lee. However, there are reasons to believe that this person was not Robert E. Lee, who is otherwise the obvious choice. Nor is there any information as to whether this President Lee served before or after Longstreet. “Must and Shall” Jefferson Davis was the only President of the Confederate States, serving until the Great Rebellion was finally suppressed, and the office and the Confederacy itself were abolished. See Also President of the United States, the head of state and government of the United States, and the primary model for the President of the Confederate States in OTL. Vice President of the Confederate States, the second-highest elected office in the Confederate States. Führer of the Greater German Reich, the title used by Adolf Hitler from 1934 to 1945. Turtledove uses…
Jefferson Davis – President of the Confederate States of …
Jefferson Davis – President of the Confederate States of America – Legends of America By J. F. Borno Jefferson Davis by C.E. Emery, about 1888 Jefferson Davis became the first and only President of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War, though, for most people, little else is known about him. This is a brief history of the man who struggled to keep his fledgling nation afloat. Jefferson Finis Davis was born into a military family on June 3, 1808. His father and uncles fought in the Continental Army in the American Revolution. Three of his older brothers (Jefferson was the youngest of ten children) fought in the War of 1812. Jefferson went to college and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 1st Infantry Regiment after graduating from West Point. At 36 years old, Jefferson Davis was elected to the United States House of Representatives. However, only two years later, the Mexican-American War broke out, and Davis resigned his House seat to form the Mississippi Rifles Volunteer Regiment. Jefferson fought bravely at the Battle of Buena Vista but refused promotion to brigadier general (he was a colonel) on the grounds that it was unconstitutional for militia officers to be promoted to Federal military positions. Jefferson Davis became a Mississippi Senator and was made the chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. He had various political appointments afterward, but the talk of secession and war was drawing near. While Jefferson Davis wanted the Union to be preserved between the North and the South, he believed the right for a state to secede from the Union must be preserved and fought for, if necessary. Davis resigned and delivered a farewell address to the United States Senate when Mississippi adopted an ordinance of secession in January 1861. Days later, Jefferson became a Major General of Mississippian troops. Before February was over, he was named provisional president of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson continued to urge his fellow southerners to remain at peace with the United States. He appointed a Peace Commission to offer to pay off their part of the national debt and to pay for Federal forts and government properties that remained on southern land. Though peace talks would not work out, and only a month later, he approved the firing on Fort Sumter. The American Civil War had begun. Virginia decided to join the Confederacy, and Jefferson Davis moved his family to the new capital, the White House of the Confederacy, in Richmond, Virginia. Jefferson was elected to a six-year term as President, and Robert E. Lee was Davis’ newly appointed General of the Army of Northern Virginia. The beginning of the American Civil War was going well for the Confederates, but Jefferson knew the economic advantage always belonged to the North. After a series of stunning victories, Robert E. Lee was defeated at Gettysburg, and Davis refused General Lee’s resignation offer. Jefferson Davis in prison As the nature of the war changed and the southerners were being defeated through attrition, Ulysses S. Grant pushed closer to Richmond. On April 3, 1865, Jefferson Davis and his Cabinet fled to Danville, Virginia, and then to North Carolina to flee northern capture. On April 9, 1865, General Ulysses S. Grant accepted the surrender of General Robert E. Lee. The Confederate government officially dissolved in May, and Jefferson Davis was captured in Irwinville, Georgia, and was held as a prisoner for two years in Virginia. Davis was indicted for treason, but the indictments were dismissed, and the case never went to trial. After two years, he was released on bail by prominent northern and southern citizens and traveled overseas. Davis became president of a life insurance company and was elected to Senate again, though he was not allowed to serve because of the 14th amendment. Jefferson Davis continued to travel and author books, and in…